Position Overview and Impact: Open up a homebound patron’s world to books and learning. Provide vital links of friendship and service to local Orange Residents that are homebound and unable to utilize the library’s facility by delivering books to their homes on a monthly basis.
Key Responsibilities:
- Volunteers select materials for their City of Orange homebound patron and deliver the materials once a month. Volunteers will be given a profile of their homebound patron so that they know what type of materials he/she would like.
- Volunteer arrange a delivery schedule based on convenience of both patron and volunteer’s schedule. Visits are usually scheduled once a month, but can be more often, if desired.
- Volunteers should try to visit for at least 15 minutes with their patron to learn about the books the patrons enjoy and other topics of interest.
- Volunteers need to keep track of checked out materials and ensure that all library materials are returned by due dates
- Volunteers use their personal vehicles to pick up the books from the library and to make the deliveries. Volunteers return all materials to any of the Orange Public Libraries – El Modena, Taft, or Orange Public Library and History Center.
Qualifications:
- Desire to help the library and members of the Orange community.
- Ideal volunteer will have good customer service and communication skills, patience, enthusiasm for working with others, and be willing and able to follow directions.
- Able to commit to and keep scheduled hours.
- Willingness and compassion for working with library patrons that come from diverse backgrounds and various walks of life.
- Experience being a mentor or skills working with disabled or vulnerable populations is highly desirable.
Training and Support Provided: An orientation to the library will be given by library staff, covering library resources and policies. The library will provide ongoing support and access to staff as needed for problem-solving.
Benefits of Volunteering:
- Chance to meet new people and help others
- Learn about the workings of a Library and the opportunity to develop working relationships with library staff.
- The library staff would be happy to write letters of recommendation for exceptional volunteer service.
Time Commitment: Volunteers give their own time – about 4-6 hours per month.
Length of Commitment: Minimum 6 month commitment and 30 hours is requested
Requirements: All volunteers 16 and older are required to be drug screened and fingerprinted before they can volunteer at the Orange Public Library. This process is paid for by the City of Orange. Please note that City policy does not allow the library to accept court-referred volunteers. Copy of driver’s license and proof of insurance are required once you have completed the City’s background process.
Responsible To: Library Volunteer Coordinator
